Original subtitles

Paul, Sandra, I'm turning in.

Lucky you.

- Four hours, 52 minutes and 20 seconds.

- Congratulations.

I thought no one would break the five-hour barrier.

Now, it's time we had a new puzzle.

- Time we had a new world.

- Keep your eyes peeled.

G'night. - Good night.

- Paul?

Paul!

Paul?

- What the hell is that?

- What's happening here?

- I don't know.

It's either a practical joke or something very interesting.

- It's coming in on every channel.

- Track it, Paul.

Did you see anything?

- No.

But someone is trying to talk to us.

- Commander, it's coming from somewhere

along coordinate line 397.

- Kano, see what Computer makes of it.

Alan, you and Eagle crew on standby.

- Yes, sir.

Wayland and Costo ready to go.

- All right, have them fly along 397

and see what they can see.

- All right.

Wayland and Costo, you're on Eagle One.

Move it.

- Sandra, keep the scanners on the Eagle.

Helena, monitor the life signs constantly,

it's our only contact with them.

Well, it's certainly eager to talk.

But I'd like to know what Wayland has to say.

- It's not gonna let us get a word in edgeways.

Well, let's hope it has a pretty face.

Eagle One to Main Mission.

Commander, it's, it's like a giant space anemone.

It's pulsating!

I've never seen anything like it before.

- Come on Kano,

Computer must be getting some information from Eagle One.

- We're getting continuous data

from their on-board instruments Commander.

- Well? - There's no analysis yet,

but we're still receiving.

- Eagle One!

- Commander?

Commander, it's incredible!

Outside temperature's increasing.

There are strange shapes forming all around us.

Commander, the ship's going down.

- Boost to interstellar strength.

Wayland, pull away!

Pull away, do you hear me?

Boost scanners.

- All transmission from on-board computer ceased.

- John, their life signs have disappeared.

- Commander.

- Go, Alan.

- Kelly, Rescue Eagle to Pad Three.

I'll meet you on board.

- Sandra, keep searching for them on long-range scanner.

- Of course, it could just be a fault on Wayland's ship.

- Victor, they've stopped trying to talk to us

and one of our Eagles has disappeared.

I don't like it.

- What the hell was that?

- Meteorite!

- Activate screens.

- Activated.

- It's gone through!

- Meteorite strike!

Section six, red alert!

Thank you.

Well, fortunately, no casualties.

Just impact damage.

- What puzzles me is where it came from.

- And how it got through our defense screens.

- They're setting it up for analysis, I'll check it out.

Good.

- Paul?

- Nothing so far Commander.

They've just disappeared.

No radar trace, no radio signals.

It's as if Wayland's Eagle vaporized.

- Commander, the meteorite.

Computer estimates it must've come from

between orbital references 350 and 400.

- The last reported reference point for Eagle One was three nine seven.

Just possible that Eagle One was hit by that meteorite.

Alan, there's a possibility

the meteor may have collided with Eagle One.

Is there any sign of wreckage or anything else out there?

- Well, I can't tell for sure,

my instruments are picking up

a lot of electrical disturbance.

- All right, then let's check it out visually.

Have Kelly take a spacewalk.

Right.

- I'll be in Technical.

- What do you suppose that is out there?

I have no idea,

and if I were you,

I wouldn't wait around long enough to find out.

Just look for Eagle One, okay?

- Sure.

- Hey, Kelly?

Good luck.

- You bet.

Depressurization complete, Kel.

Right, Alan.

- Okay, Kelly.

Go.

- Well, John,

it may not look like much,

but it's very dense.

And it's very heavy.

We had to turn the gravity control

right down to get it in here at all.

- How dense?

How heavy?

- Computer's finding out right now.

- Any surface marks on it?

Any indication it may have hit Eagle One?

- Huh?

It's possible?

- I've got some early findings on this stuff.

It's a piece of the coating that I took

from the surface of this meteorite.

It's organic.

- Alive?

- Definitely.

It's nothing we'd recognize, but...

- John.

Here it is.

Weight: 328 tons.

Constituent elements: titanium, stainless steel,

aluminium, glass, carbon fibers, plastics,

nuclear fuel cells and a small amount

of human tissue.

- Human tissue?

- We found Eagle One.

Lee, recall Carter immediately.

- But sir, Kelly's out in space.

- Get him back immediately!

Damn it.

- Kelly, abort, we've been recalled.

Kel, do you read me?

Kel?

Are you receiving?

Kelly, signal if I'm getting through to you.

Main Mission, Eagle Four here.

- Receiving you, Eagle Four.

- Paul, check our communication line.

I'm getting no response from Kelly.

No fault registering, Alan.

- Then Kelly's in trouble.

I'm going out after him.

- Stop him.

Alan, get away from that area.

Right now. - Commander?

- Just get away from there, now!

- Commander, that's Kelly out there.

You can't expect me to leave him.

Kelly?

Kelly, can you hear me?

Kelly, I'm not receiving you.

Kelly, are you receiving me?

Kelly?

Hey, Kel.

Hey, come on, buddy.

Right, gotcha.

Let's get you back to the Eagle.

- Those brain patterns are fantastic

for a man who's totally anesthetized.

- His brain activity's phenomenal.

But his breathing is back to normal.

- His heart and lungs have adjusted

to what's going on inside of his brain.

- The question is what is going on inside it?

- Well, he's suffering this

non-stop flow of impulses and ideas,

because that part of the cerebellum

which controls his will is failing its function.

My hope is to stimulate the cerebellum and restore balance.

Now, if we don't achieve that, very soon,

he'll simply burn himself up.

Melita.

- Where is he?

What has happened?

Melita?

- They're going to operate.

- What's wrong, Commander?

- Look, Melita.

Your husband's okay.

He's in good hands.

His heart and lungs are fine.

As soon as there's any news, we'll let you know.

I know it's no good to say don't worry, but try not to.

- How can I?

Well, this isn't the best place, is it?

Nurse, will you take Melita to her quarters.

- Commander, I want to stay.

- I know you do, but you can't Melita.

Now, go on, please.

Thank you nurse.

John.

Mathematical formulae.

That monitor only gives

electronic indications of a patient's brain activity.

- Those are computer traces, Victor.

They're certainly not Kelly's brain patterns.

Kano, what's with Computer?

- I can't understand it, Commander.

- Just tell me.

- I've checked everything.

Computer is transmitting data into Kelly's brain.

- Into his brain?

- Into him.

And through him,

it's being beamed towards orbital reference 397.

- 397.

That's the point where Kelly was affected

and Eagle One was crushed.

Kano, shut down transmitters immediately

and analyze all data that's already gone out.

Victor, whoever was trying to talk to us

before Eagle One was crushed

is now using Kelly as a link to Computer,

and is sending information out into space through Kelly.

- It's trying to communicate again, John.

- The process is now reversed, Commander.

Computer is now receiving data.

It's coming from the same area in space

and reaching Computer via Kelly's brain.

- Kano, let's shut him off.

Close down receivers.

And analyze all incoming and outgoing data immediately.

Whoever was trying to talk to us is now talking to Computer.

- Maybe he couldn't get through to us

and needed Kelly as an interpreter.

- Yeah, but whatever it's doing,

it might be reprogramming Computer against us.

- Increase anesthesia two points. - Two points.

- He's still feeling pain.

He could die of shock.

I'm going to induce neuronic concussion.

- What's happening?

You must not touch my brain!

- Bob, no!

Let him go.

Follow him, take security.

Let me know where he goes but don't try to restrain him.

Go. - Right.

Helena, you all right?

- I'm all right.

- John, we can't just let him go.

- Victor, whatever this thing wants, it's using Kelly.

So let's let Kelly lead us to it.

- Commander, Kelly's gone into the computer room.

Good.

Get Kano there.

But don't go in until I arrive.

- Right Commander.

- All right, I want to try to talk to him.

But if he gets violent, we'll have to stun him.

As a last resort.

What's the update?

- He's reprogramming so fast I can't get any details.

- All right, you two come with me.

Kelly?

Kelly?

Kelly!

Kelly, I want to talk to you.

Who you transmitting to?

Who's talking to Alpha?

Look, answer me, damn it!

No!

No!

Let's see where he goes, come on.

I don't understand, his neuronic concussion,

the effect should be immediate.

- And he's building a resistance to it.

Melita!

Melita!

Melit... - Kelly!

- Geez, help me.

Help me!

- My darling I thought...

- I've got to do it.

I've got to.

And they won't let me!

- What is it, tell me? - I've got to!

You must make them understand.

Make them understand!

- Whatever that is out there,

it's crushed Eagle One,

it's done something to Kelly,

and through him taken over Computer.

- By my calculations,

we should be where Eagle One disappeared in four to six hours.

- Which is how long we have to take action.

- All right, so we're back to the old problem

of how to drive this moon the way we want it to go.

- Only two practical schemes for that:

shock waves and anti-gravity screens.

- Both of those are aimed to reduce gravitational pull

from another planet.

This is neither a sun, a star, or a planet

we're dealing with.

- Well, from the data we've managed to process,

Computer has determined that the energy field has no mass.

- Sir, we can't change course.

What next?

- Well, we know it's organic and intelligent.

So if we load an Eagle with nuclear charges

and aim it at its center,

we might just be able to weaken it a little,

enough to reduce its crushing effect and let us get through.

- Yeah.

Well, I better get started on that right away, Commander.

- All right, Alan, do it.

Helena, we've gotta get all the information we can

from Kelly.

- He's on life support syst... - Yes, I know.

Victor, I'd like you and Connor to try and find out exactly

what it is Computer's transmitting.

- John, the point about Kelly's condition, I don't...

- Helena, we've got to try it.

Alan, how's it coming?

- All the charges are fused, checked, and ready to go.

- Good.

The best calculation we can get without asking Computer

is that all on-board systems should be blown at 18:45.

- Destruct mechanism set for 18:45.

- By that time the ship should be locked on target,

and nothing will be able to divert it.

- Well, I feel a lot happier now we've done something.

- All right, Paul, lift her off.

- Well, whatever's out there,

it's gonna get one hell of a headache

when it starts to squeeze that little bundle.

- I still don't like the idea of a preemptive strike

against an enemy I don't understand.

- They crushed Eagle One to a pulp, Commander.

I don't see any reason to doubt

they'll do the same to us too if they can.

- John, can you come to Technical section right away?

Foam.

- Yeah.

That's what it looks like.

- It's also what the pilot saw.

Where did it come from?

- It's the same material we found encrusted onto Eagle One.

It seems it's reverting back to its original form.

- It looks harmless enough.

- Looks, yes, but it's highly unstable.

We don't know why, but its chemical structure changes.

It gains incredible weight and density.

- Are you saying this foam crushed Eagle One?

In a sufficient quantity, John, this,

foam as you call it, could crush anything.

- What did he say to Melita?

- He was struggling to get something out.

There was something he had to do.

He asked her to make them understand.

- Them?

Meaning us.

We're not gonna find out what he had to do

unless he can tell us.

- Well, he's weakening fast.

- It's an orthodox diagnosis now,

decline due to brain damage.

Strange, isn't it?

That decline began just as soon as Computer was shut down.

And that's when the hyperactivity in his brain stopped.

- You mean he was dependent on Computer?

- John, something interesting here.

Kelly transmitted an astonishing amount of information

in the short time he had.

Of course, I'm really taking random samples.

Chances are I'm on the wrong track...

- You're on some track.

Go ahead.

- A lot of data is physical information

about the moon itself: Weight, density, dimensions.

- Trajectory?

- It's got information about the gravitational pull,

about every change of course we've made

since we left Earth's orbit!

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

I think it's trying to find out if we can change course now.

Right.

- John, if we're going to save Kelly,

I think our only chance is to restart Computer.

- And leave Alpha wide open.

- Whatever that thing is, maybe,

just maybe, it's trying to help us.

- Help us to avoid a collision that'll destroy Alpha.

- We've got to find some way to make contact.

- Well, of course, contact's already been made,

through Kelly.

- That's it.

Of course, through Kelly!

Symbiosis!

- John, if you want me to link your mind to Kelly's,

so you can read his thoughts,

no.

The results could be catastrophic.

- Helena, if our moon hits that force field,

it'll be a catastrophe for all of us!

How long before that remote controlled Eagle detonates?

- One hour 35, Commander.

Kano, restart Computer.

We don't have too much time.

- Symbiosis.

I don't think you should be doing this, John.

I know what I'm doing.

- I've experienced it myself during advanced psychoanalysis.

That was under very different conditions.

To link you and Kelly electronically at this point.

- Kelly's mind is connected in some way to this thing.

We can't be sure that your mind

won't be affected in the same way.

- We've got to do it, Victor.

We'll be monitoring your physical signs.

If there are any changes, we'll have to stop.

- All right, let's get on with it.

Connected here.

Connected here.

- It's a living organism.

Like a brain.

Pulsating with life and light.

It's the center of our whole galaxy.

Maybe even hundreds of galaxies,

planets,

stars,

strange life forms,

and in the middle of it all

is this brain.

- Are you all right, John?

- Yeah, I'm all right.

I think it worked.

I think it worked.

Hurtling towards that brain is our moon.

Now, the Eagle was just a fragment,

so the brain surrounded it with antibodies and rejected it.

But our moon is a million times bigger than that Eagle.

- That's right.

But the brain is a million times bigger than the moon.

Make no mistake, John.

It would crush us in the same way

that it crushed Wayland's Eagle.

- Commander?

It is trying to help us.

It's working with Computer.

We must go to Main Mission.

- Give these to Kelly.

- It's possible.

- What's possible?

- We can divert the moon away from the brain.

The plan is to increase the moon's rate of spin,

by providing a series of forces at tangents to its axis.

This will give the moon an eccentric rotation

and cause it to curve away from the center of the brain.

We haven't much time.

Computer has plotted precisely the points

at which the series of charges

should be placed along the equatorial line.

- It is trying to save us.

Paul, if we're going to carry out that brain's instructions,

we'll need every nuclear charge we've got.

So turn that nuclear Eagle around

and bring it back to Alpha.

- Remote-controlled Eagle now heading back for Alpha.

- Good.

What's its position?

- Approximately halfway between the moon and the brain.

- Which means those charges will explode the moment

it arrives back here.

Paul, reprogram the on-board computer

and cancel the detonation instruction.

- Yes, Sir.

- Now, we're gonna have to act fast

if we're gonna avoid collision.

Alan, I want every single man standing by.

As soon as the ship lands on the moon's surface,

take the charges and place them on the moon's surface

as per the brain's instruction.

Victor, oversee the entire operation.

Sandra.

Kelly.

Kelly!

Kelly.

Commander, trouble.

There's a fault on the on-board computer.

- What kind of trouble?

- Everything's gone dead.

Which means it's locked on a course

which will bring it down

right in the center of Moon Base Alpha,

where it will explode.

- An accident?

Or is the brain intentionally gonna destroy us?

- No, Victor, I don't think it is intentional.

Paul, get the fastest Eagle we've got

ready for immediate lift-off.

Clearing Alpha now, Paul.

Check course and closing speed.

Kelly.

Kelly, is there anything you can do?

- We've got to get him to intensive care.

Paul, I'm docking now.

- You're running out of time, Commander.

Good luck.

- Three minutes to detonation.

- Docking complete.

I'm gonna defuse the nuclear charges now.

Nuclear charges defused.

I'm trying to alter the course

of the remote-controlled Eagle, so that it misses Alpha.

I can't divert it!

I've got no control!

I can't hold it!

I've gotta let it go!

- Stand by strike.

Strike at Pad Four.

- Victor, we've just lost our nuclear charges.

Alpha's headed for that brain.

There's nothing we can do.

- There is something John.

We could increase the atmospheric pressure inside Alpha.

- You mean to counteract the crushing forces?

Would it work?

- It's a long shot,

but it might give us a chance, yes.

- Okay, Victor, I buy it.

Set it up.

- I already have.

- Well done, John.

- Good to see you, Commander.

- Nice bit of flying Commander...

- What's the situation here, Victor?

- Only skeleton crews above ground.

All pressure sensors linked and ready for testing.

- Readings, Kano?

- Sections A, B, and C: Pressure readings normal.

Section D coming through now.

- D ready to testing.

- D checked and functional.

- Attention all Alpha personnel.

This is Commander John Koenig.

We are about to enter the area of the space brain.

As a result, we are faced with a grave crisis.

I want you all to know that we in Main Mission

will do everything in our power

to prevent the destruction of Alpha.

Please remain calm.

We cannot predict the final outcome.

But with luck and the measures we are taking,

it is my belief that we will survive.

Good luck to you all.

- John, if we increase pressure too quickly,

our people will be in trouble.

- Right, we'll do it gradually.

Paul, raise pressure two points now

and distribute pressure suits.

- All right.

- External pressure reading up two points in Section B.

- Raise internal pressure four points, Paul.

Attention!

All surface sections close down!

Total evacuation.

Emergency services only in one minute.

Seal bulkheads in two minutes.

All right, go.

- Dr Russell, I need help.

- Kano.

- Helena!

Don't go!

Helena! - Commander,

sensors indicate a burst in the crew room

on Launch Pad Four.

- No one in there?

- It's all clear, Sir.

- All right, seal it off.

- We can't evacuate.

If we disconnect him, he'll die.

- Switch to emergency services.

Bulkheads.

- Bulkheads sealed.

- John, we must have power.

- Damn it, get out of there.

- Come on, keep it moving,

down to the shelters.

Hurry up, not much more time.

Come on, hurry up!

Keep it moving, down to the shelters!

- Bob, get out of here, come on.

Helena, out, out!

- John, we can't leave Kelly!

- Victor, it's a burst in Medical.

Pressure holding.

As soon as I'm clear, seal the bulkheads.

- There are still men coming from the generator section.

- We'll re-route them.

Section D, anyone there?

Come on!

Come on!

Get down there.

Go ahead.

- Come on, this way!

Come on!

- Sandra, work up there on panel four, go ahead.

- Section D under severe stress.

- Helena, panel five.

- Commander, all Eagle maintenance areas completely flooded.

- Transfer readout.

Atmospheric pressure? - It's easing.

Good.

How's the pressure now?

- No increase, Commander. - Good.

Victor, what about the computer?

- All linked through here.

- Hold out as long as you can.

Right.

- All right, visors down.

Victor, shut down main computer!

Shut down these controls, switch down the other system!

Helena, get upstairs on the balcony, go on quickly!

You too, Sandra.

- It's stopped.

John,

it's stopped!

- I think we've come through.

- It's a miracle we're alive, John.

We tore through it like a bullet.

Complex as the human brain.

- And just as vulnerable.

Helena, don't make it hard on yourself.

- John, I deserted Kelly.

I just keep thinking that maybe we could have saved him.

- Helena, you can't assume

the responsibility for Kelly's death,

no more than we can assume the responsibility

for the death of that cosmic intelligence.

Now, yes, we've lost Kelly.

But think of those worlds out there

that depended on that brain.

Think what they've lost.

- If only we could have communicated.